The HR-03 is constructed using a nickel-plated copper base and heatpipes with aluminum cooling fins, like many of Thermalright's other cooling products. Measuring in at 5.25”L X 6.14”W X 1.5”H, the HR-03 is freakin' big! It is, however, surprisingly light (just over 12 oz.) for its size and relatively low profile. As we'll see a little later, the four heatpipes are arranged in such a way as to effectively make the HR-03 a six-piper.

Even with fans attached, the HR-03 can be SLI/CrossFire friendly (depending on the mobo and case.) Thanks to the flexible mounting solutions, the cooler can be mounted above or below the card(s) to provide a satisfactory configuration in almost any situation.

The above chart shows spotty compatibility. However, a note on the Thermalright website states that they are working on mounting solutions for most of the cards with compatibility issues. There is a “HR-03 Rev.A” product listed which may address some of these issues, though I have no direct knowledge of this. Further details can be found HERE .

PRODUCT COMPOSITION

The HR-03 arrives in the customary Thermalright nondescript cardboard carton. Thoughtful packing allows the cooler and accessories to arrive in pristine condition.

There's a lot of stuff in that little box! Besides the heatsink and mounting hardware, there are ramsinks, an adhesive “cushpad,” thermal paste and a sticker. One instruction sheet covers heatsink installation while the other has instructions for putting an optional fan on the HR-03. Thermalright has thoughtfully included some extra hardware. This is a welcome sight for me; there are gremlins that live in my lab that instantly snatch up dropped items and send them into another dimension. But that's a story for another time.